it is better to convert directly to kfx or first to mobi?

[Princess kindle]

hello, good evening, I have a question, what is the best input format to convert to kfx? I mean, do I get better quality in the book if I convert it first to mobi and then to azw before converting to kfx? or it doesn't make any difference if i convert directly to kfx?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Princess kindle

hello, good evening, I have a question, what is the best input format to convert to kfx? I mean, do I get better quality in the book if I convert it first to mobi and then to azw before converting to kfx? or it doesn't make any difference if i convert directly to kfx?

Use the format the eBook came in originally. If it's Mobi, ePub, or KF8, use those. Do not do an intermediate conversion first.

[Princess kindle]

Hello, thanks for answering so soon, I had that doubt for a long time. And if I have a book in several formats? eg mobi and epub, what will be the best input format? or it doesn't matter good night.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Princess kindle

Hello, thanks for answering so soon, I had that doubt for a long time. And if I have a book in several formats? eg mobi and epub, what will be the best input format? or it doesn't matter good night.

Epub for sure.

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Epub for sure.

I wouldn't think that the input format would matter since calibre deconstructs the ebook into xml and then converts that into whatever output format was specified; my interpretation is that she's wondering if she should convert the book to epub and then convert it to kfx. You're right if the book is available for download in both mobi and epub; download the epub and ignore the mobi.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by hobnail

I wouldn't think that the input format would matter since calibre deconstructs the ebook into xml and then converts that into whatever output format was specified; my interpretation is that she's wondering if she should convert the book to epub and then convert it to kfx. You're right if the book is available for download in both mobi and epub; download the epub and ignore the mobi.

Mobi doesn't support several formatting features that epub does, so converting to mobi would nuke those features and they cannot be easily put back. If the only original format is mobi, then it won't matter, but otherwise epub (if it's not a converted mobi, of course) is certainly preferable. (Yeah, I get that to you it probably wouldn't matter at all, with your sledgehammer approach to formatting ).

[Quoth]

Convert epub to either dual mobi (if it's PD for a friend and you don't know model) or epub to azw3/KF8 if Kindle is later than 2.5.8 FW, i.e. has Publisher option in Aa menu.
The KFX is less documented and little advantage over azw3/KF8 except for Amazon.
Best non-ebook format to import to Calibre is docx (MS word or extra Save As in LO Writer) with proper styles. Then convert to epub2.
Make ALL other formats except RTF and PDF from the epub2. Remove the docx from Library once the epub is done. PDF and RTF are best done from the Wordprocessor, though "printing" a PDF from Calibre Viewer isn't bad and exporting an RTF or docx from epub is better than nothing to seriously edit in the wordprocessor.

Basic Mobi is only for ancient Kindles older than KK3 (also DXG even though it's later than KK3 because it's really an earlier DX with screen upgrade). Some ancient Symbian phones and Windows CE PDAs/Phones might have a later Mobipocket app that takes old mobi. Earlier Mobipocket (like for PalmOS PDA) uses pdb or similar, even less styles & formats.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by hobnail

… my interpretation is that she's wondering if she should convert the book to epub and then convert it to kfx. You're right if the book is available for download in both mobi and epub; download the epub and ignore the mobi.

Though don't download mobi or epub from wayback, download PDF (extract OCR and edit / proof in Wordprocessor if you want decent epub/kf8 etc).

Mobi is best from Gutenberg and Faded Pages because they likely add formatting you don't want to have in epub. Convert it to epub2 in Calibre with Smarten Punctuation, Fully Justify (leaves headings etc as is) and remove paragraph spacing. I change the default indent from 1.5 em to 1.4 em, but 1.2 to 1.7 works and is matter of taste.
I use regex aided search to ditch inline page numbers. Sometimes I make first paragraph have no indent and remove drop caps and small caps. Search for closing tag of chapter or centred scene break with start of <p class="whatever"
replace "whatever" with "no-indent"
Find & copy the .whatever class in CSS with new name .no-indent and set the text-indent=0 instead of 1.4 em etc.

Remove any line-height lines in CSS, especially body CSS.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Princess kindle

Hello, thanks for answering so soon, I had that doubt for a long time. And if I have a book in several formats? eg mobi and epub, what will be the best input format? or it doesn't matter good night.

That depends on which is the source format. If the ePub was created by converting the Mobi, then use the Mobi. If the Mobi was created from the ePub, use the ePub. If both are originals, use the ePub.

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Mobi doesn't support several formatting features that epub does, so converting to mobi would nuke those features and they cannot be easily put back. If the only original format is mobi, then it won't matter, but otherwise epub (if it's not a converted mobi, of course) is certainly preferable. (Yeah, I get that to you it probably wouldn't matter at all, with your sledgehammer approach to formatting ).

Agreed. Mobi should just always be ignored, whether it's available for download (unless it's the only format available). And certainly nothing should ever be converted to mobi unless they have an ancient kindle (or palm pilot) that needs it.

Unfortunately there are still plenty of old web pages that tout mobi as the preferred format for kindles. When I first started with ebooks that was the impression I got, that mobi was the best. It wouldn't be so bad if the mobi was the dual one with both the new and old formats but that's an obscure wrinkle that I suspect that a lot of people don't know about and may get or create the single old mobi format.

[JSWolf]

You can still find some eBook on Amazon available only in Mobi. And in that case, that's the source format.